Royalty right in our midst

Two Indy 500 princesses have local connections.

Two Indy 500 princesses have local connections.

April 28, 2006

It figures to be a busy month of May for several young women. Kim Darling, formerly of South Bend, and Michelle Shiriaev, a University of Notre Dame student, are two of the 33 princesses for the Indianapolis 500 Festival. Kim is a student at Ball State University and the daughter of Bryan and Susan Beck of Noblesville, and the granddaughter of Carol Kulwicki of Osceola and the late Leonard Kulwicki. Kim has another tiara under her belt because she also served as Miss Ball State. Michelle is the daughter of Renee and Ken Demmeyer of Churubusco, and Alex Shiriaev of Fort Wayne. Michelle said it has been a busy couple of weeks for the princesses with travels to Indy for weekend events. She has been traveling downstate with her mother, so they've had some quality time. "I met one of the princesses last year at the state fair, and she told me it was a great way to meet people," Michelle said. The selection is based on interviews and on strong GPAs. "There is no stage competition." The selected princesses come from 10 Indiana colleges and universities and 26 cities. They are selected on communication skills, poise, academic performance and community work. From the princesses, one will be selected to reign as queen and receive a $2,500 scholarship. All the princesses must do some outreach events. Michelle has spoken about the 500 and been involved in a craft event at Logan. "It has been great. I was a big fan of the race before as a child. Now I'm a bigger fan." *** Carolyne Call, director of the Saint Mary's College Office for Civic and Social Engagement, won the 2006 Community Service Director Award from the Indiana Campus Compact's annual Student and Faculty Service Learning Conference at Purdue University. The award honors those who facilitate and inspire service. She helped develop the social engagement office and encourages student and faculty involvement, according to Saint Mary's President Carol Ann Mooney. *** They really like to read. The WSBT Channel 22's "I Love to Read Challenge" turned a lot of students into readers in February. The big winners were crowned at ceremonies at the St. Joseph County Public Library. Kathy Borlik Namely News Kathy Borlik writes this weekly column about people. The top three classrooms were Jill Weaver's third-grade class at George M. Riddle Elementary School, Rochester; Kori Moroni's fourth-grade class at Northpoint Elementary School, Granger; and Tonia Rensberger's fifth-grade class, Model Elementary School, Goshen. The top individual readers were: Jennifer Riedel, kindergarten, Meadow's Edge Elementary, Mishawaka; Chloe Naumann, first grade, Three Oaks Elementary, Three Oaks; Autumn Kinnear, second grade, LaSalle Elementary School, Mishawaka; Zachary Weinkauf, third grade, Jimtown North Elementary, Elkhart; Joseph Rockwood, fourth grade, Model Elementary, Goshen; Adelia Couser, fifth grade, Veritas Academy, South Bend; and Patricia Kamanda, sixth grade, Corpus Christi, South Bend. The "Rising to the Challenge" winners were Torey Crowell, third grade, Jimtown South Elementary, Elkhart; Hector Rodrigo Reyna, third grade, St. Vincent de Paul, Elkhart; and Anton Luther, sixth grade, Mary Beck Elementary, Elkhart. The Creative Teacher Award went to Juliette Horton, second-grade teacher at Ruth Murdoch Elementary, Berrien Springs.